Tropical Storm

Chapter Thirty-two

KERRY WAS CHIEFLY aware, first, of a pounding headache. She kept her eyes closed and let the throbbing, in time with her heartbeat, subside a little before she let her lids drift up. She was lying down, in a railed hospital bed, in a stark, forbidding white room. “Oh my god.” She breathed faintly, letting her eyes roam around. It was small, with one door on the outside wall and another on the inside, bare concrete walls and polished tile floors. The one small window to her right had bars on it and was curtained.

The bed she was on was utilitarian, but she noticed a full set of restraint straps, which were, as yet, unfastened, their mute threat sending a pulse of fear through her. Slowly, she got up and slid her feet over the edge of the bed, letting herself down on the cold tile that stung her bare feet. Her clothes had been taken, and she’d been left in a thin cotton hospital gown, which she tugged around her as she padded over to the door and tried the handle.

Locked.

She wandered over to the window and peered out, pushing the curtain aside to see a bleak landscape of dead trees which surrounded the building.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe he did this.”

She had no idea where she was. She had no way of contacting anyone.

Her eyes glanced down and noted they’d taken her watch as well, making her unable to distinguish what time it was. It could have been minutes she was lying there, it could have been hours. She walked over and leaned her elbows on the bed. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Kerry,” she murmured. “You should have just stayed in Miami and had turkey roll.”

How long would they keep her here? Long enough to make the company think she’d abandoned her job? Sure. Long enough to where Dar, not hearing from her, would start to question whether she’d just…changed her mind?

No. Surely Dar would know there was something wrong. Even if she had changed her mind, she wouldn’t do it without at the very least, telling her boss in person. Dar knew that.

Didn’t she?

It was Dar’s one weak spot, and she knew it—that one vulnerability only fleetingly alluded to, but which had struck her hard, and which haunted her even at their parting, when the taller woman had given her a hug, and said,

“See you Monday, right?”

She would never abandon Dar. She knew that. But she realized that at some deep level, it was hard for Dar herself to believe it, and that made this one facet of her lover very, very fragile. “I have to get out of here.” Kerry 420 Melissa Good drummed her fingers on the bed.

The tiny shutter in the door shot open, and eyes peered through, then the door opened and admitted what appeared to be a nurse in white scrubs. The woman carried a clipboard and several small cups. “Well, good, I’m glad you’re awake.”

Kerry decided on the calm approach. “Where am I?”

The nurse made several marks on the clipboard before she answered.

“You’re in a hospital, dear, but don’t worry, you’re going to be fine.”

She digested this. “Well, I sort of figured, given the wardrobe, but which hospital is it?”

A slight pause. “Bryan’s.”

Kerry nodded, her heart sinking. “Hmm. That explains the bars.” She paused. “What time is it?”

“Now, don’t you worry about that, honey. We just have some people in here sometimes who aren’t very happy, and we have to protect them, that’s all,” the woman reassured her. “And it’s three thirty AM.”

Three hours. “So, why am I here?” Kerry asked, in a reasonable tone.

“The last time I considered killing myself is when I forgot to tape X-files.”

The nurse looked at her uncertainly, then she laughed. “Oh, I see. Yes, that’s very funny. Well, your family brought you in because of the problems you’ve been having, and we’re just going to work with you to make you all better.”

Kerry leaned on her elbows. “What problems am I supposed to be having?” she inquired.

“I’m sure you know that better than I do, dear.” The nurse smiled at her.

“But the doctor will be in to see you in the morning. And in the meantime, I’d like you to take these pills for me, okay?”

“What are they?”

The nurse sighed, obviously getting impatient. “They’re just a little sedative, to let you rest until the morning.”

“A sedative. Well, you know, I’m really pretty calm here, I don’t think I’ll be needing that,” Kerry objected. “I usually sleep just fine.”

The nurse walked over and faced her. “Look, I know you think you’re being very clever, but you just listen to me, all right? Your father gave us some pretty strict instructions, and we are going to follow them. Now, you can do what I ask, or I can have to of the orderlies come in her, tie you down, and give it to you intravenously.” She paused, her eyes cool. “Your choice.”

Kerry gazed at her. “What you’re doing is against the law, you do realize that, right?” she commented. “I did not agree to this, and there is nothing wrong with me.”

“Do yourself a favor, honey.” The nurse’s voice was now sharp.

“Cooperate. You don’t know what you’re getting into here.”

Kerry smiled. “Actually, it’s you who doesn’t know what you’re getting into here.”

The nurse’s eyes narrowed. “I can see what your father’s point was.”

Kerry smiled. “That’s easy. It’s on the top of his head.” She hopped up into the bed and took the pills from the nurse’s hand, dumping them into her palm and tossing them into her mouth. Then she took a drink of the water the Tropical Storm 421

woman held out. “Thank you, Ms.,” she peered at the badge, “Archer.” She put her head back down on the pillow and closed her eyes.

The woman stayed there a moment longer, then stormed toward the door, keying it open and letting it slam behind her. Kerry listened, hearing the soft click of the shutter being drawn back and remained still. Then she heard the solid snick of it closing and opened an eye. “Bitch.” She leaned forward and spat the two pills out, grimacing. “Ugh. God, what did they coat that with, lemon pepper?” Disgusted, she got out of bed and retrieved the capsules, separating them and emptying the powder inside them into the radiator. It hissed. Then she fit the two ends back together, and put them in her mouth, swallowing them down with the rest of the water the woman had left.

Three thirty. That meant she had…probably four and a half hours left before they’d start working on her in earnest, and if they gave her drugs through a needle… Kerry chewed her lip. They could keep her drugged up enough for anything to happen.

Her eyes wandered over the room, stopping on the small stool placed in the corner, ready for the doctor to warm it with his butt. She glanced at the stool, then at the door. “I never was a person who advocated violence, but you know, sometimes, you just gotta do what you gotta do.” Purposefully, she set to work, fluffing the covers up and using the pillows to make it appear that she was curled up in bed. Then she walked over to the door and stood behind it, satisfied that whoever looked in the grating couldn’t see her. She walked over and got the stool, bringing it back with her to her post and sitting down on it.

It was strange, how little fear she was feeling. All of the terror had been sucked out of her, replaced by a slowly growing, slowly heating anger that made her look at her recent past and see her walking the fence with utter disgust.

“What kind of idiot was I?” She leaned her head against the door. “My family, my family. What the hell was I thinking? That they’d just accept me?

Accept what I am?” She shook her head. “What an idiot. Kerry you don’t deserve a life partner, you deserve a brain transplant.”

She’d wanted everything. If she failed in her one shot here, she’d get nothing, and she’d lose. “My god.” Kerry felt tears welling up in her eyes.

“What the hell did I do?”

Silence gathered around her, the soft sounds of the hospital muted by the late hour.

And she waited. She suspected her friend Ms. Archer would be back to check up on her, what with her being so important and all, and she’d be alone.

Kerry just hoped she didn’t screw this up, because she had only one chance.

One chance.

She waited. Kerry estimated that fifteen minutes went by, then thirty. At last, she heard a faint sound of footsteps coming down the hall, pausing periodically. She guessed the nurse was checking each room. They came closer, and closer, and at last they were outside her door.

Kerry silently got up and lifted the stool in her hands, hefting it. The shutter slid back, then closed, and a series of short beeps were sounded as the 422 Melissa Good woman keyed the door.

She felt her heart pounding, and she licked her lips, getting ready. The doorknob turned and pushed inward. She waited for the figure to clear the edge, then slammed the stool down as hard as she could.

THE HANGAR BAY door rolled back, revealing the F14 Tomcat in all its sinister glory. Dar took a brief moment to study the swept-back wing fighter before she shook her head and tightened one of the seven zillion straps there seemed to be on the flight suit Jack had insisted she wear.

What in the hell am I doing?

Three shadowy figures were standing by the plane, and they saluted as Jack came up, stepping out of his way as he circled the aircraft, checking it thoroughly. He was all business now, and spoke to the crewmen in quiet, terse sentences as they finished the fueling and hooked the mounting ladder to its side. The canopy swung up, and Jack motioned Dar forward. “You first, so I can stand up there and tell you what not to touch.”

He missed the wry look from his friend as she pulled herself up the ladder, stepped over the high cockpit side, and settled herself into the surprisingly comfortable seat. She was surrounded by electronics, and she was momentarily glad the canopy was glass, which lessened the claustrophobic feeling a bit. “Okay.”

Jack mounted next, and placed a booted foot on the edge of the canopy, pointing down. “That’s the weapons array, that’s radar, that’s…”

“The targeting system, threat management, and navigation,” Dar finished dryly. “And this, this little beauty, is the heads-up generator, which I wrote the original programming for.”

Jack stared at her. “Oh.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Sorry.”

Dar glanced up. “It’s all right. I won’t touch anything, I promise,” she assured him, feeling the tremor as her muscles jerked in agitation. “Let’s just get going.”

They finished the checklist, then a small vehicle tugged them out into the open and to the taxiway, where Jack lit off his engines and started under his own power. The roar was almost subliminal in its intensity, and Dar could feel it vibrating down along her clenched jaw. She settled the headphones on her head and listened as Jack talked quietly to the tower at the airfield, filing his flight plan and confirming that he was heading for a civilian airport. Then the Tomcat rolled forward, winding down the taxiways before it reached the runway outlined in dim blues and reds, the oil-marked tarmac clear in the icy white of his plane’s running lights.

“You ready?” His voice sounded tinny through the earpieces.

“Yep,” Dar responded and tightened her straps. The song “I Would Do Anything for Love” inescapably began running through her mind, and she sighed, hoping the afterburners would drown it out. The Tomcat’s engines powered up, and the plane began to shake against its brakes, then with a tremendous jerk, they released, and they were flying down the runway.

It seemed mere seconds, rather than the long time it took with a regular airplane, before they were airborne and headed up at a steep angle. Dar could Tropical Storm 423

feel the G-pressure slamming against her, and she kept her breathing steady, closing her eyes and waiting for the plane to eventually level out. Which it did, cruising along at quite a pace for a little while as Jack navigated out of the established flight paths and into an isolated one reserved for military aircraft.

“You ready?” he asked again. “It’s one thirty AM, and we’re gonna crack plates all over Maryland, so hang on.”

“Okay. Go.” Dar briefly wondered what it was like to fly at more than the speed of sound, then the afterburners kicked in, and she felt like a horse’s hooves had slammed her in the chest. “Jesus.” The acceleration kept up, and she watched the mach meter creeping closer and closer until it hit Mach One, and a rolling wave of thunder cascaded around the plane, shivering through every part of it and making her ears itch.

Then it was quiet.

They rolled up through Mach Two, then Jack trimmed the engines and maintained a steady flight speed, whipping over the earth with nonchalant ease.

It seemed only moments, in which she sat trying not to think of anything at all, until she felt the pressure in her ears that meant they were descending.

The plane slowed, and the rumble came back, and she could hear Jack’s low, even conversation with the traffic controllers in the area. Kent County, apparently, didn’t have anything but a radar officer and one single controller on watch, just in case. But they had no other planes in the area, and Jack just told them to turn on the runway lights, and he’d find it okay.

They queried him uncertainly.

“I’m a carrier pilot,” he responded dryly. “I’ve landed on something a lot smaller than your field.”

Then they were on the ground, and Jack parked his plane in an unused hangar, shutting it down and turning it over to the watchful eye of an MP sent for just that purpose. They got in the car he had waiting and started off. It was an hour’s drive to Saugatuck, which was right on the water. They could feel the lake breeze hitting the car even before they got there, and Dar peered at the map, giving terse, nervous directions. At last. A somber, white building rose before them, with gates in the front and a full complement of security.

Jack looked at her uncertainly. “How are we going to get in there?”

Blue eyes regarded him. “You’re not. You’re staying right here until I get back. And if I don’t get back, call this number.” She tried to hand him a card, but he wouldn’t take it.

“No way, Dar. I’m going in there with you.” His jaw jutted stubbornly.

“You had me fly all the way out here, I’m not missing out on the fun.”

“Jack, this could mean trouble for you. I don’t want that on my conscience,”Dar objected.

“Flying into Iraqi airspace meant trouble for me,” he replied bluntly. “I went anyway.”

Dar remained silent, then sighed. “All right.” She took her badge from her briefcase and clipped it on her collar, then peered at him. “Here.” She clipped the luggage tag on his flight suit. “Take off the insignia, they won’t know the difference.”

They got out of the car, and Dar stripped off her flight suit, donning 424 Melissa Good instead the trench coat she’d brought against the chill air. She shouldered her laptop, and faced him. “We’re here to fix the computers, okay?”

His brows creased as he pulled off his wings and name patch. “What if they aren’t broken?”

“They are,” Dar assured him. “They have a trouble ticket open with the local account here.”

“That’s a bit of a coincidence, isn’t it?” he inquired warily.

“Not really,” Dar replied as she started walking towards the guard house.

“It’s a long holiday weekend, they have to transmit their payroll tonight, and both of their local techs are with their families three hundred miles away. It’s the worst possible time for a problem, ergo, there is one.” She straightened her lapel. “Computers are like that.”

Jack thought about that. “Oh.” He zipped up his jacket, hanging his luggage tag from the outside pocket. “Murphy’s Law?”

“Dar’s Rule of FUBAR.” Dar smiled grimly as they came up to the gate, a large rectangle of light from the glassed-in window spilling out along the darkened path. “Much more precise.”

As they approached, a small panel slid aside, revealing a young guard with thick, curly blond hair and blue eyes. “Can I help you?” he started to ask, then his eyes fell on her badge. “Oh, thank god! Thank god! Let me get the gate open.”

Dar winked at Jack. “Now, that’s the kind of reception I like to see the company get.” Now that she was here and doing something, her nerves had steadied, and she felt a lot calmer. It was the waiting that killed her.

The gate swung open and the guard hurried out. “You need an escort?”

he asked anxiously.

Dar consulted a paper. “Let’s see…it’s the computer room on the…” She bent closer.

“Third floor, near the lockdown unit,” he supplied helpfully. “Go up the elevator, get off at the third floor, turn right, and it’s three doors down on the left. I’ll have it opened for you.”

“Great, thanks. We’ll try to be quick,” Dar promised.

“Please. If they don’t transmit that tape before the banks update in the morning, I’m toast,” the man begged. “I promised I’d take my mother-in-law out to brunch on Sunday, and at this rate, it’s going to be at McDonalds.”

Dar patted his shoulder. “Relax.” The stones crunching under her boots, she started up the gravel path and exhaled. “First hurdle down.”

Jack moved closer. “Isn’t it bad, raising his hopes like that?”

Blue eyes shot a look at him. “Trust me, they’ve got a lot better chance of getting those damn systems working with me here than if they’d sent one of our field techs.” She continued walking, heading up a low series of steps to the front door of the facility. “I’m not just an administrator, y’know.”

“Bu…uh…well, I know, Dar, but we’re not really here to do that. I mean… Are you actually going to fix it, then?”

Dar sighed. “Why the hell not? I’m here to break a senator’s daughter out of a psych ward in the middle of the night after hijacking a government aircraft.” She paused. “And it’s gonna snow. Might as well fix the damn computers so I can at least bill them before I get thrown in jail and then fired, Tropical Storm 425

if I’m really, really lucky.”

Jack looked nervously around. “Oh. Okay.”

They entered the building, quiet at this hour, and nodded at the guard sitting on the reception desk. He glanced at them, then spotted the badge and looked profoundly relieved. “Damn, are we glad to see you guys. They said they didn’t have anyone in the area. I thought we were really screwed.”

“We flew in,” Dar replied honestly as she headed past the desk and entered the elevator. The doors closed behind them, and she exhaled again.

“Hurdle number two.” It was a silent ride until the doors slid open on the third floor, exposing a long expanse of mind-numbingly mint green concrete.

“Jesus, I hate that color,” Dar muttered as she turned to her right.

Their shoes squeaked on the polished tile, and the sound made the nurse at the desk look up in startled attention. She came around the corner and approached them—a short, slim woman with dark hair and a lightly made up face. “Can I… Oh.” Her eyes widened on seeing Dar’s badge. “Thank the good Lord’s mercy.”

Dar smiled and stopped in front of the room the guard had indicated, nodding at it. “Wanna let me in?”

The nurse hurriedly punched in a code, and the door opened. She pushed it back, holding it respectfully as they entered. “Oh, you have no idea how wonderful it is to see you. I can’t believe they found someone at this time of night. It’s incredible.”

Dar entered the computer room and set her briefcase down, then seated herself in front of the AS400 terminal and examined it. She pulled her laptop out of its case and booted it, while Jack watched with interest.

“Can I get you two anything?” the nurse asked anxiously. “Coffee, a doughnut—we’ve got some turkey and stuffing left.”

Dar glanced over. “Thanks, Ms.,” she squinted a little, “Archer, coffee would be wonderful.” She paused. “I like mine with everything.”

The nurse nodded, then glanced at Jack.

“Just black for me, thanks.” He smiled at her.

“Right you are. I’ll be right back.” She hurried off.

Dar recalled the company’s profile and drilled down to their operations section, retrieving their administrative login and password. She typed it in and was rewarded with full access to their systems.

“How do you guys do this?” Jack whispered. “It’s like you’ve got some massive set of skeleton keys or something.”

“Well.” Dar entered a query to their patient database and waited for the screen to come back. Then she recorded Kerry’s location and the lock code to her room. “It’s like this: We do all the data transfer for most of the credit unions out there. Most places that are members of the credit unions know that, because we take care that they do—with joint advertising, that kind of thing.

We sponsor credit union picnics. If they have a fundraiser, we’re involved. So then we can go in and say, ‘hey, we do this data stuff for the CU, why not let us handle yours?’ ” Dar made several changes to Kerry’s file, then saved it and returned to the main menu. “And they usually sit back and realize it does make sense, because we are professionals, and this is what we do. It’s more cost-efficient for us to add them to our network than for them to maintain 426 Melissa Good their own—especially WANS. Those T1 lines are expensive as hell, and you don’t get redundancy on them.” Dar then dumped out of the menus and went to the operating system level, starting a diagnostic.

“Okay, that makes sense,” Jack acknowledged.

“So after that, we go in and say, ‘hey, we’re doing the data stuff for the CU, and we handle your network, why not outsource the rest of your IS to us.

We’ll give you a support package, and you won’t have to worry about anything.’ ” Dar watched the diagnostic run. “There’s the problem,” she muttered, stopping it, then standing up and going around to the back of the computer and kneeling down. “Stupid interface cable’s chewed, they must have rats.”

“Rats? What?” Jack peered at her. “You figured it out already?”

Blue eyes glanced back at him. “It’s my job, remember?” Dar took a splicing kit from her briefcase and quickly fixed the cable, then went back to the console. “They don’t know we’re here; I might as well fix this, then we can get on with getting Kerry the hell out of here. She’s probably sleeping, might as well give her a few more minutes.” She typed in a set of commands and tested the cable. “Ah, better.”

“So, do they usually let you take over their stuff?” Jack asked, fascinated.

“A lot of times, yeah, because maintaining an IS group, especially in a place like this, whose focus is so narrow, is just a pain in the butt for them. It’s much easier, and about the same amount of money, or maybe just a bit more, if they let us do it. And it’s a big problem off their shoulders because we’re big enough so they know if something does go wrong, we’ll get it fixed.”

“Like now.” Jack smiled.

“Well, we don’t usually send corporate vice presidents to splice cable.”

Dar chuckled ruefully as she started up the data transfer cycle. “They were bringing a tech up from Chicago, I canceled him.” She watched the counters roll. “Another day, another dollar.” She stood up and dusted off her hands, then turned as the nurse came back with the coffee. “Good news.”

The woman handed the coffee over and peered at the screen. “Really?”

“Yep, you’re rolling,” Dar informed her. “It’ll take about twenty minutes for this to go through; we’ll hang around and make sure it gets finished.”

“Bless you!” the nurse squealed in delight. “Oh my god, I have to go let everyone know. Thank you, thank you. You’re a genius.” She dashed out, headed back for her station.

“Okay.” Dar took a sip of her coffee. “You stay here. I’m going to wander casually down the hallway and see if I can get into Kerry’s room.” She picked up the piece of paper with the room and code on it and put it into her pocket.

“Then I have to figure a way to get her the hell out of here.”

“Oh, so that part of the plan’s not ready yet?” he asked nervously.

“Plan?” Dar gave him a nervous look right back and grinned faintly.

“What plan?” She slipped out the door and sauntered down the hallway, gazing around in apparently casual interest. The nurse spotted her and waved, never stopping her speech on the phone as she did so. Dar waved back and continued her progress, stopping every so often to peer at the bulletin boards, which dotted the walls, and read the notices and schedules on them.

Kerry’s room was at the end of the hallway, Dar realized, around a small Tropical Storm 427

crook in the otherwise straight walls. When she came even with the door and glanced back over her shoulder, she could no longer see the inside of the nurse’s station, only the front edge of the desk. “Good,” she muttered, then eased back the little peephole and peered inside. The harsh white light displayed a stark, almost bare room, with a bed near the far wall. A figure was curled up in it, and Dar nodded to herself as she closed the panel, then keyed in the lock code and gently opened the door.

She felt rather than saw the blow coming and let her body react, twisting as something hard and cold struck her on the shoulders. She went with the force of it, diving for the floor and rolling, then coming back up on her feet in a dazed blur, holding her hands out in a defensive posture. She blinked the stars from her eyes, and heard a faint choking sound, then her vision focused finally on Kerry’s stunned face. “Wow,” she managed to joke weakly. “I love you too, but couldn’t we just kiss each other?”

“Oh my god, I’m…” Kerry unfroze and closed the distance between them, touching Dar’s neck in horror. “Dar…I’m…I didn’t know it w…I thought it was… You’re bleeding. Oh Jesus.”

Dar rubbed her head. “Does that mean you’re glad to see me or not?” She gave the blonde woman a wry smile.

Kerry just looked at her for a long moment, then slowly came forward and leaned her body against Dar’s taller one, sliding her arms around her lover’s waist and burying her face in Dar’s chest. “Glad to see you? I’ve never been so glad to see anyone in my entire life.” She let out a shaky sigh. “Oh god.”

Dar felt her entire world collapse until it only encompassed the two of them, as she wrapped her arms around Kerry and gently kissed her head.

“What in the hell’s going on here?”

A sigh warmed her chest, even through the fabric. “I can’t believe he did this, it was horrible, Dar. At first, he wanted to blame you, he said it was all your fault. That you…lured me into this.”

Dar exhaled but kept silent.

“And, I couldn’t. I had to tell him that wasn’t true. And he…” Kerry’s arm unwound and lifted, her hand touching her cheek. “He hit me.”

The dark-haired woman pulled back a little, so she could see her partner’s cheek. “Bastard.”

Kerry just looked sad. “There was so much hate in him. I don’t understand, Dar, how can people hate you for something as beautiful as loving someone?” She put her head back down, her voice shaking.

“It’s part of what makes us human, Kerry,” Dar answered in a tired voice.

“We hate anyone different,” she told her softly. “Come on, we’ve got to get you out of here.”

Kerry nodded. “I know. They were going to start ‘probing’ me in the morning. I knew I had to get out of here before then. I was afraid they’d…”

She hesitated. “I didn’t know what kind of drugs they were going to fill me with, or…I mean, you can say anything under some of that stuff, and…” Her eyes lifted and met the pale blue ones gazing down at her. “I didn’t want to take a chance on them forcing me to say something I didn’t mean.”

Dar’s lips tensed into a grim smile. “What were you going to do after you 428 Melissa Good knocked out Little Miss Sunshine out there?”

“Find a phone,” Kerry admitted, “and scream for help.” She plucked at her hospital gown. “After stealing some scrubs to wear.” Her brow creased.

“And, how did you know about this, Dar? How did you get here?”

The taller woman snorted. “They found your medical card in your wallet and figured they might as well bill us for your brainwashing.” She keyed the door open again and peeked out, seeing a quiet, empty hallway. “Let me go see if I can find your clothes and let Jack know what’s going on.”

“Jack?” Kerry queried.

“Gerald Easton’s son, he got me here,” Dar answered absently, peering at doors to try and figure out what was behind them.

“Got you here?” A pause. “I thought you were in Maryland with him, did you… No, you couldn’t have driven, it’s the middle of the night, there’s no planes!” Kerry stared at her in confusion.

“He’s a Navy pilot,” Dar replied offhandedly. “It pays to have old friends in fast places, Kerry. I’ll explain later.” She eased out. “Okay, I’ll be right back.

Just take it easy, okay?” She patted her pockets, then pulled out a slip of paper. “Just in case.” She handed it to Kerry. “It’s your lock code.”

“A Navy p…” Kerry took the paper mechanically, watching as Dar carefully closed the door and eased down the hall. She leaned against the wall again, her knees shaking so badly she could hardly stand. It was too much.

She slid down the wall and rested her head on her arms, wondering if it was all just another one of those strange dreams she’d soon wake up from.

OUTSIDE, AFTER SHIFTING her jacket so that the cut on her neck was covered, Dar padded quietly down the hallway and popped around the corner to see the nurse bending over some paperwork. She looked up as Dar sauntered closer, then smiled.

“Well, you certainly are the hero of the building.” She put down her clipboard and sighed. “You don’t know how many people there are here who can breathe now. For me, tomorrow is my kid’s birthday. It was gonna be a doughnut with a candle in it until you walked in.”

Dar smiled sincerely at her. “Glad I could help.” She leaned on the counter, checking her watch. “Not too much longer,” she commented, stifling a yawn. “Say, are those things really comfortable?”

The nurse looked down. “Oh, the scrubs? Yeah, they sure are. Beats the heck out of that starched polyester they used to make us wear, let me tell you.” She looked at Dar speculatively. “Hey, would you like a set to try? I could get you one, we’ve got thousands.”

This is too easy. “Could you?” Mild blue eyes blinked at her in gratitude.

“I’ve always wanted to try them.”

The nurse patted her hand. “Honey, for you, anything.” She ducked out from behind the desk and hurried off.

Dar smiled and regarded the nurse’s station, peering under the counter to see if she could spot any of Kerry’s belongings, without much success. “Hey, Jack, how’s it going in there?” she called in a normal tone of voice.

Jack’s blond head popped out, and he glanced at her. “Um, the red bar is Tropical Storm 429

about seventy five percent of the way across, is that what you’re asking?” She nodded. “Everything okay?” He looked closer. “Christ on a rudder, Dar, you’re bleeding.” He walked over to her and pulled her jacket collar back.

“What happened?” He asked in a lower voice. “Did you find Kerry?”

“Yes, I got hit with a stool, and yes,” Dar muttered. “Kerry was trying to make a break for it and thought I was a nurse.”

“God. Feisty thing, isn’t she?” Jack half laughed. “She okay?”

Dar nodded. “She’s fine, they hadn’t had time to do anything to her. That was scheduled for the morning.” She sighed. “But she’s pretty shook up.”

He digested this. “Why is she in here, Dar? She nuts?”

Dar shook her head. “No. Just gay.”

The shock showed in his face as he stared at her. “You’re not serious.”

She sighed tiredly, rubbing eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep and tension.

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

Dar looked up as the nurse returned, holding a package and smiling cheerfully. “Here you go, hope you enjoy them.” The woman handed it over, then gave Jack a smile as well. “Hello there. You want a set, too? My husband loves them.”

“Um, no thanks.” Jack mumbled. “Thanks anyway.”

“Thanks.” Dar took the scrubs and tried to figure out what to do next.

Her mind was slowing down, she realized, as the problems of getting Kerry out of the hospital safely weighed down on her shoulders.

She hadn’t really gotten past what to do after she got in here, mostly because she had no idea what the layout was, or the possibilities. Maybe she could pull the fire alarm…or, was that a water pressure pipe in that other alcove?

“Excuse me.” The nurse touched her arm. “Listen, can I ask you a big favor, since you’re stuck here for a little while anyway?”

“Huh?” Dar broke off her planning and turned to the woman. “Sorry, sure.”

“I’d like to run down and grab a sandwich from the cafeteria, can you just listen for this phone?” She pointed at it. “If it rings, just answer Third Floor and take a message.”

“Uh…well, sure, of course, no problem,” Dar assured her, working hard to keep an incredulous grin off her face. “Go on, we’ll be here another…uh, thirty minutes at least, that load’s taking longer than I thought.”

Nurse Archer beamed at her. “You’re the best.” She ducked out from behind the desk again. “Can I bring you back a sandwich? They have turkey on a croissant today and some tomato soup.”

“No, no, we’re fine. Thanks.” Dar waved at her. “Take your time.”

The doors to the elevator slid closed behind her white butt, and they looked at each other. “Well.” Dar rubbed her nose. “You stay here and listen for the phone, and I’ll go get Kerry.” Unable to quite believe her good luck, Dar trotted down the hallway to her lover’s door and punched in the code, having the handle practically taken out of her hand by an impatient blonde.

“Hey!”

“I was starting to get nervous,” Kerry whispered. “I thought maybe you got into trouble.”

430 Melissa Good Dar leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, letting her touch linger a bit. “I am trouble,” she purred into the shorter woman’s ear. “Here.” She handed Kerry the scrubs, which came complete with little booties. “It’s not chic, but it’ll get you the hell out of here.”

Kerry took the bundle and examined it with interest. “Hmm, I always wanted a set of these. This wasn’t the way I’d have chosen to get them, though.” She opened the packages and shook out the white garments, stripping off her uncomfortable hospital gown and slipping into the drawstring pants. “Yeesh.” She tugged on the waist strings to make them fit, and ended up tying a big bow, while Dar knelt and did the same for the ankles. “That’s better, at least I won’t trip on them,” Kerry muttered as she pulled on the shirt, settling it around her body. “Well, that’s not too bad.”

Dar smiled, then stood up and pulled a comb out of her pocket and ran it through Kerry’s disheveled hair. “So, other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was Thanksgiving?”

That got a weak laugh from the blonde woman. “Oh, lots of relatives, lots of bullshit. I got to make nice with Brian and see some of my uncles and aunts I haven’t seen in a while.” She paused. “Now I guess I won’t ever again,” she concluded softly. “Dar, he’s not going to just let go of this.”

“Leave that to me,” her partner responded in a crisp, no-nonsense voice.

Kerry looked at her. “What does that mean?”

Dar finished her task and turned her lover towards the light. “You’ll do,”

she concluded. “It means that I have a few tricks up my sleeve, and I’d like you to just trust me to handle the situation.”

Warily, Kerry gazed at her. “You’re not going to tell me what’s going on?”Serious blue eyes studied her face. “Not here, not now…and it’s easier if I show you. When we get home, I’ll lay it all out for you, I promise.” She paused. “Will you trust me?”

Kerry looked her right in the eye for a long silent moment. “I trust you,”

she stated quietly. “Just…remember, Dar, whatever else he may be, he is my father.”

Dar patted her cheek. “I know.” She took a breath. “Come on, let’s get out of here. I’m going to have you go downstairs with Jack. I’ll wait for the nurse to get back here, then join you. It would look strange if we left the floor unwatched, and I don’t want any alarms getting out.”

Kerry nodded. “Then what?”

Dar pondered. “Then I guess we go to your parents’ house to pick up your things,” she said.

“What? Dar, no, I don’t need that stuff. There is nothing there irreplaceable. I don’t want to go back there,” Kerry protested vehemently.

“Kerry…” Dar started to speak.

“No!” the green-eyed woman interrupted. “I can’t face them, not after this. Dar, don’t ask that of me, please.” She turned away, hugging herself.

“Can’t we just get out of here?” she whispered. “I’ll pay for the company laptop.”

Dar exhaled. “Okay, let’s go.” She walked forward and put an arm around Kerry’s shoulders. “I’m sorry, I’m so used to being so damn Tropical Storm 431

confrontational, I forget it’s not always the smartest thing to do.”

Kerry let herself be turned around, and they headed for the door. “What purpose would it serve anyway?”

“Just lets them know they didn’t beat you,” Dar replied quietly as she opened the door and gently ushered her lover out into the hall, checking first to make sure the coast was clear. “But that’s my pride speaking, and it’s kinda loud sometimes.”

Kerry looked over her shoulder at the frank admission and felt a tiny smile tugging at her lips. “That ‘in yer face’ gene again, huh?” She glanced around at the depressing hallway. “Uck, this place is disgusting.”

They came around the corner and spotted Jack’s lonely figure, casually slumped against the desk as he waited. He saw them and straightened, then smiled as they came closer. “Hi.” He gave Kerry a tentative smile. “You must be Kerry.”

She held a hand out. “And you must be Jack. It’s nice to meet you.”

Dar went around behind the desk and started rooting through drawers.

She came to a locked one, then glanced at the counter. “Nice nurse.” She grabbed the set of keys the woman had left and unlocked the drawer, pawing through it. “Ah.” A set of hospital badges, all with little Post It notes on them.

“Let’s see…” She studied them. “Terminated, terminated, quit, terminated, deceased, terminated… Admitted?” She peered at that one. “Hmm. Ah…” She pulled one out from the stack and handed it to Kerry. “Clip that on, the picture’s close enough.”

Kerry did so. “Now what?”

Dar relocked the drawer and put the keys back down. “Okay, you two take the elevator there down and just walk out the front door. Kerry, you pretend you’re just walking him out, okay?”

The blonde was recovering her composure. “It would be more realistic if I was hitting on him.” She glanced at the blushing Jack. “He’s cute.”

“Fine.” The executive chuckled wearily. “Once you get out there, just wait for me, okay?”

They both nodded. “What are you going to do?” Kerry asked predictably.

“Discharge you.” Dar smiled piratically. “I like things neat. Get going.”

She paused. “Jack, take my laptop, okay?”

He nodded. “Gotcha. See you downstairs.” He retrieved the case and left, guiding Kerry towards the elevator. At the doors, the blonde woman turned and met Dar’s watching eyes.

“Be careful.”

Dar smiled. “You, too.” She watched the doors close, then she turned her attention to the task at hand.

THE RIDE DOWN the elevator was quiet, and Kerry restlessly ran her fingers through her hair, fidgeting until the doors opened at the bottom floor and they got out. Ahead of them, a single guard was seated at the reception desk, leaning on his elbows. He glanced up as he saw them, and a big smile crossed his face.

“Hey, hear you guys saved the day! Way to go, man!”

432 Melissa Good Jack waved. “Yeah, it was a chewed-up wire, but we got things going again. I’m just going to put my stuff away.” He hefted the briefcase. “Boss is upstairs making sure things finish okay for you guys.”

“Great, great. Listen, can we get you a pop or something?” The guard’s eyes flicked over Kerry and dismissed her.

“Nah, we’re just wanting to get to the motel, and get some sleep. Been a hell of a long day.” He started to move past the desk. “Glad it all worked out.”

“Which hotel they got you at?” the guard asked in friendly interest. “I know most of the good happy hours around here.”

Jack was at a loss. “Um…”

“Didn’t you say the Marriott Courtyard? It’s about a half mile from here,”

Kerry interjected casually. “That’s where you said we could get a drink later.”

“Whooo, they put you up at the good places.” The guard laughed. “And you got an invitation on top if it. Well, g’night. And thanks again.” He glanced once more at Kerry, then went back to the magazine he’d been reading.

They passed through the front hall and exited the building. “Brr.” Kerry sighed. “These scrubs are not meant for November in Saugatuck.”

Jack glanced around as they crunched down the gravel path. “Thanks for saving my butt in there. I’ve got no damn idea what hotels there are around this place. Hell, I don’t even know where I am. Dar got us here.” He glanced around. “Once we get past the front gate, I’ll give you my jacket, okay?”

Kerry nodded but kept silent, feeling the cold, hard ground through the thin surface of her booties. They came even with the front gate, and the guard inside looked up. Kerry waved at him, and he waved back, then he waved even harder at Jack.

Jack smiled. “I feel like a goddamned messiah,” he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. “I haven’t gotten this kind of a greeting since we liberated Kuwait.” He glanced at the beaming guard. “He doesn’t even realize he doesn’t know you, does he?” The gate slowly opened in front of them, and they started to pass through.

Kerry snorted softly. “There’s a lot of Dutch and Germans settled in this area—blonde, white women are a dime a dozen, trust me. He probably sees twenty people who look like me every day.” They passed out of the light cone around the guardhouse, and finally, Kerry felt her guts start to relax a little as she heard the metal lock close shut behind her.

She was free. She was out of the worst situation she’d ever been in, and she mostly felt like finding a warm spot and just curling up into it and crying.

It was dark around them now, and Jack stripped off his jacket and set it around her shoulders. “Thanks.” She nodded gratefully to him. “I know I owe you a big thank you for helping Dar get here, however that happened.”

He chuckled a little as they came up to the military car, in dark blue, and he unlocked the door for her. “I’d do just about anything for her. We’ve been friends since we were kids. She saved my ass once, after we built a treehouse out in a ficus that overhung a sinkhole.”

He waited for her to slide in, then he closed the door and got in on the other side. “My dad told me not to, but I was pretty damn stubborn, and I did anyway. I was putting the final railing on when I lost my step and fell over the edge, with nothing between me and the bottom of that damn sinkhole except Tropical Storm 433

Oh-Two.” He exhaled. “My belt caught on a branch nub, and there I was, hanging like a stuffed pig on Christmas, yelling my head off.”

Kerry muffed a slightly hysterical laugh. “Oh no.”

“Yep. Next thing I know, Dar’s there, and she manages to get a rope tied off and around her, then she climbs down next to me and helps me get up onto the next branch. So then we both lose our balance and fall, and she’s hanging on to me and tied to that rope—so I figure we’re both toast.”

“Oh no!” Kerry’s eyes widened.

“Yep, but she’s stronger than all hell, if you know what I mean, even then, when we were little. So she manages to get her body twisted round, and I can grab onto the branch and pull myself up. Then she gets up next to me, and we were all right.”

“Whew.” Kerry blew out a breath. “Then what happened?”

He gave her a wry glance. “She slugged me for being so damned stupid.”

Kerry burst into laughter, clamping a hand over her mouth quickly. “Oh, god. I’m sorry, that’s not funny,” she apologized.

“Sure it is.” Jack laughed. “It’s Dar all over.”

The blonde woman sighed. “Yeah, I think I can see that, even though I’ve only known her for a little while.” Her eyes flicked to Jack’s. “She’s a brave woman.”

He smiled at her “She’s a brave human,” he corrected her. “She’s the best friend and the worst enemy you could possibly want to have. She never backs down, and she’s always there if you need her to be.”

Kerry stared out the windshield, at the faintly glowing lights from the hospital. “That’s true,” she finally said, softly. “She’ll stand up to anyone.”

She fell silent and leaned her head against the door jamb, her eyes glued on the path leading down from the hospital.

They waited what seemed like an eternity, but what was actually about ten minutes, until Kerry’s eyes found what they were looking for. A tall, lean figure came gliding down the gravel, stopping at the gate and exchanging a few words with the guard, who laughed and waved. Dar then exited out the sliding wire barrier into the darkness of the parking lot.

A moment later, and Dar was getting into the back seat with a long, exhausted sigh. “God damn it all to hell in a wire handbasket, I’m glad that’s over with,” she muttered, slumping against the cushions. “Damn woman nearly talked my ear off. Tried to give me a cupcake. Wanted my boss’s name so she could put in a good word. Jesus!”

Kerry started laughing helplessly. “You should have given it to her.” She exhaled. “And you like cupcakes.”

Jack glanced at her, then into the rearview mirror. “Where to?”

Dar considered. “There a hotel nearby? I think we all could use some sleep. I know I could. Then we can pack Jack back off to DC and catch a commercial flight home.”

“What about that Marriott you mentioned?” Jack asked Kerry.

Kerry remained silent for a moment. “I, um…” She half turned and rested her chin on the back of the seat, gazing at Dar. “I…think you’re right. I think we should go pick up my stuff.”

A dark eyebrow lifted. “I thought…”

434 Melissa Good

“I know.” Kerry looked down at the fabric. “But I started this, and I need to finish it.” She raised her eyes to Dar’s. “I just need a little backup.”

A quiet, proud smile edged Dar’s lips. “You’ve got that. Kerry, I know this is tough for you, and I know you still love your parents very much. Try to remember that, all right?” She sighed. “Don’t let what happened take that away from you, no matter how much they seem to deserve it.”

Jack started the car and pulled out of the lot. Throughout the quiet, darkness-shrouded drive, Kerry thought about Dar’s advice.

THE HOUSE WAS dark. The front light was on, sending a pool of silver across the brown grass, but the rest of the building was silent and gray. Jack pulled up next to the driveway and glanced back at Dar.

“All right.” Dar sucked in a breath and tried to summon up energy.

“Jack…”

The pilot blinked at her. “He’s enough of a scud to nap his own daughter and have her shipped off to the funny farm. I’m going as your security.” He reached under the seat of the car and brought out his service-issued automatic, snapping the adjustable holster into its place under his arm. “And just so they know I’m registered to carry that…” He put his insignia back on.

Dar put a hand on his arm. “No,” she quietly disagreed. “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary, and I’ve got a few cards up my sleeve if he does try anything stupid. Let’s not get the military involved in this, okay? He’s a senator, and it could only mean big, big trouble, my friend.”

“Dar’s right,” Kerry added softly. “My father has a bug up his ass about the power of the Pentagon. Don’t give him that kind of ammunition.”

Jack glanced from one to the other. “Okay, but you’ve got thirty minutes.

More than that, and I’m coming in after you.”

“All right,” Dar agreed. “You ready?” she asked Kerry, who nodded.

“Let’s go.”

They eased out of the car and shut the doors gently, then made their way up the front walk to the entrance. Kerry faced the door and her hands clenched, then relaxed. She reached up and rang the bell.

Once. Twice. Three times, before they heard footsteps approaching. Dar put a steadying hand on her lover’s back and straightened her own, gathering her wits about her. The door opened and swung back, and the senator was standing there, blinking at them in sleep-fogged disbelief. Kerry walked forward and mounted the step up to the threshold, then hauled off and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of the slap ricocheted through the hallway, making him stumble back, and startling Dar, who’d had no idea in the world her lover was going to do that.

“What in the…” The senator reached for a light switch and flipped it on, illuminating the doorway and inner hall. “How dare you?”

“How dare I?” Kerry walked right in and up to him. “How dare I? How dare you do something like that to me!”

He stared at her, then slowly, his eyes drifted past her to the tall, dark figure looming behind her. “You.” His voice dripped with revulsion.

Dar walked inside and closed the door behind her. “I don’t think we’ve Tropical Storm 435

met, have we?” She put a hand on her furious friend’s back. “My name is Dar Roberts.”

“I know who you are, you whore,” the man roared, “Get out of my house!” He turned for the phone. “I’ll have the law on you!”

“For…what?” Dar cut off Kerry’s violent protest. “Exactly?”

“Breaking and entering!” he answered, dialing.

“You let us in,” Dar reminded him.

“Of the hospital, you freak!”

“Actually, they’re an account of ours. I signed the visitors’ log like anyone else,” Dar replied calmly. “And I was requested there due to a computer problem.”

He stopped dialing. “You broke her out of there,” he accused.

“No, no, the nursing supervisor discharged her.” The executive smiled at him. “After they found nothing wrong with her.”

“There is something wrong with her.” He put the phone down. “And it’s your fault. You corrupted her, you bitch, and I’ll have you…”

A long, powerful finger lifted. “You will have me filing a lawsuit against you for libel, along with one for kidnapping and forcibly detaining an employee of mine if you don’t shut up.” She slid ahead of Kerry, dangerous as a panther as she walked up to him, staring him evenly in the eyes. “Now, I suggest we take this little discussion to whatever you use as an office, so the rest of your…family…doesn’t have to hear what I have to tell you, okay?”

“You think you’re so damn clever,” the man spat.

“No, the company does. In fact, the company pays me to be clever, and I like to give them their money’s worth,” Dar replied with a smile. “Now, you can move, or we can just collect Kerry’s things and be on our way, and I’ll just run a transmit to the news services when I get back in the car. Your choice.”

Dar’s voice dripped with danger, smooth, slick syllables that rolled off her tongue and were accented with glints of her eyes. “Senator.”

He moved, turning and heading towards a wooden door visible through the living room they were standing at the edge of. Dar followed him, and Kerry, after taking a breath, followed her, stunned by the powerful presence Dar had manifested. She glanced to one side and found herself looking into her mother’s eyes, peering out from their bedroom doorway.

The eyes disappeared, and the door closed. Kerry sighed and kept walking, trailing after Dar’s tall figure as they entered that damn study, and this time she closed the door behind them. A small reading lamp dimly lit the senator’s private study. Shadows filled the corners making it hard to see what hid between the bookshelves and display cases distributed along the walls.

Dar circled the room, her focus on the angry man before her, and ended up by his desk. She perched on a corner and crossed her arms. Taking a moment to study him with interested, blue eyes, she stayed quiet.

“What do you want?” he finally asked, after a period of this.

Dar let him wait a bit longer, then she stood and walked around a little, ending up next to the window. “What do I want?” she repeated. “I want you to go back twenty-four hours and not have assaulted, kidnapped, and illegally incarcerated your own daughter there. That’s what I want.”

“I didn’t illegally do anything,” the senator brusquely informed her. “She 436 Melissa Good was admitted for observation, and it’s my responsibility to make sure my family gets taken care of.”

“Oh, so when they filled me full of drugs and tried to brainwash me in the morning, that was for…observational reasons?” Kerry asked from her position against the wall.

He glanced at her. “I wanted them to talk to you, yes, and get these crazy ideas out of your head, before you ruin your life.” He glared at Dar. “She’s the one who brainwashed you.”

“Brainwashed her into what?” Dar snorted. “Into thinking for herself?

No, thanks, she did that all by herself with no help from me.” She paused.

“Oh, you mean brainwashed her into thinking we were in love with each other. Right?”

“I don’t want to hear that.” The man turned his back on them. “I don’t accept that any child of mine would be a part of something that disgusting and depraved.” He turned. “And be damned to Hell on top of it.” His hand slashed through his hair. “No!” His eyes went to Dar’s shadowed face. “Why don’t you just get out of here and leave decent people alone? Your kind doesn’t belong in this country.”

Dar stepped closer, so fast he didn’t even have time to move or to blink before she was practically on top of him, nose to nose. “My daddy died for this country, you piece of ignorant trash, so you watch what you say.” Her voice had dropped to a menacing growl. “And he was worth a thousand of you.”

Kerry held her breath. She’d never seen Dar like this. Her eyes were glittering, and her whole body seemed alert with energy. The fiery rage was almost palpable.

Dead silence. Then, “I’m calling the police.” The senator picked up the phone. “I’m going to have you arrested on whatever charges I feel like paying the chief to write up for me, and then I’m going to enjoy seeing your ugly ass locked up in the men’s side of the prison and watch you get raped until you scream.”

Surprisingly, Dar smiled. “Ah, your true colors,” she purred charmingly, her temper put back on a leash. “Before you finish dialing, you might want to think of the number 99344343.” He stopped dead, his finger on one button, and slowly, viciously, raised his eyes to hers. Dar chuckled. “Did you know, Senator, that in this day and age, everything you do goes in a computer?” Dar stepped around the desk and sat on its edge again. “Every credit card transaction, every banking transaction, every medical record.” She smiled again. “Birth certificates, death certificates…everything.”

He just stared at her. Hating.

Dar leaned forward. “You put the phone down. You let me get Kerrison’s stuff out of here, and then you don’t bother her ever again, or I have one huge-ass file that’s going out on a mass mailing to every goddamned news agency in the world, along with the Attorney General’s office.” She paused. “With a personal note from me to Janet, if you know what I mean.”

“You’re bluffing,” he whispered.

Dar leaned closer. “No, I’m not.” She chuckled. “And believe me, I’d enjoy every single second of watching you self-destruct on CNN.” She eyed Tropical Storm 437

him lazily. “I’d even send a condolence card to Pamela.” His eyes bugged out.

Dar slipped off the edge of the desk and stood, waiting.

“All right.” He straightened and appeared to regain his composure.

“What do you really want? What deal are you after?”

“Deal?” Dar inquired softly.

“You must be after something. What is it, money?” He glanced up. “They can’t pay you that much at that place, is that what you’re after?” He moved around, drawing her attention and Kerry’s as he paced. “We can work out a deal, you just name what your price is, and we…”

Dar’s body moved with a savage suddenness that startled even Kerry.

She half turned and sent a sideways kick snapping up, her foot hitting something hard and sending it flying. Then she whirled and spun kicked again, this time sending a body flying against the wall with an audible thump.

Kerry ran for the lights as she heard movement, and got to them, flicking them on just in time to see Kyle go flying again, caught squarely in the ribs by a flying drop-kick.

“What’s the matter, Kyle, you too used to picking on little girls?” Dar taunted as she ducked a side swipe of his fist. “Intimidating them and taking their puppies?” She swiveled and cracked him in the jaw with a roundhouse kick. “Stinking pig.”

He lunged at her, grabbing her around the waist and taking them both down. But he didn’t count on Dar’s powerful legs, which wrapped around him and flipped them both over, landing Dar on top and letting her get in a good blow to the groin.

“Bitch.” He slugged her in the side, did it again, then wheezed as a knee slammed him in the gut. He scrambled out of her range, then lunged to his feet, intent on grabbing her.

Dar rolled up and caught him as he tried to stand up, slamming an elbow into his jaw, then grabbing an arm and throwing him over her shoulder to land with a sodden crash on the parquet floor. “Oh yeah, the bitch that just kicked your ass and loved every minute of it.” Dar felt her breathing steady, and she felt her temper dropping, the violent need satisfied for the moment.

It was quiet then, until Dar walked over to the far wall and picked up the automatic pistol she’d kicked out of Kyle’s hand, juggling it in her own. Kerry watched an unfamiliar expression appear on her father’s face.

Fear.

“Did I forget to mention she was the National Champion in karate one year?” Kerry murmured. “Guess I did.” Now it was her turn. She stepped forward until she was standing against her father’s desk. “What you did to me was wrong.” He just looked at her. “Not just last night. You’ve been trying to make me into something I’m not since I was a little girl, and you hurt me a lot,” Kerry told him. “But you’re still my father, and I still love you. I just can’t live with you.”

“I am not your father.” He turned his back. “Get out of my house, and take your friend with you.”

Kerry sighed and glanced at Dar, who was unloading the pistol and pocketing the rounds. “Come on, I don’t have much to get here.”

Dar tossed the automatic on the desk. “Right behind you.”

438 Melissa Good They left the office and proceeded silently up the stairs. Dar settled her hands on her lover’s shoulders. “You okay?” she murmured softly into a pink ear.

Kerry felt like just leaning back and letting Dar’s body envelope hers.

“I’m really hurting inside,” she told the dark-haired woman honestly. “I think I’m going to need a good, long cuddling real soon now.”

Dar kissed her gently on the head. “Tonight, and every other night for the rest of your life, if you want,” she promised, realizing what she said after the words came out.

A momentary, almost shocked silence. “I want,” Kerry finally answered in a soft voice. “C’mon, let’s get out of here. I have a future to attend to.”

KERRY WALKED INTO her old bedroom and crossed the floor to where her things were still resting. Someone had tucked everything away, and she hoped it had been Angela. She quickly checked through the laptop case, then her bag, and gave Dar a nod. “This is everything.” She pulled out a pair of jeans and the Navy sweatshirt and quickly changed, tucking her scrubs away in the bag and sitting down to pull on her sneakers.

Dar walked over and lifted the bag, swinging it to her shoulder. “All right, let’s go.”

Kerry hesitated and looked around. “I grew up in this room,” she said quietly. “Angela and me.”

Dar let her eyes flick over the room, then she put her free arm over Kerry’s shoulders. “You know you won’t lose touch with your sister, right?”

“I know.” The blonde woman sighed.

They both looked up at a sound and saw a disheveled chestnut head poke in. “Ker?”

“Angie.”

Her sister came in and hurried over, as Kerry stepped forward and hugged her. “Oh my god, Kerry, what in the hell happened? You disappeared, and they wouldn’t tell me what was going on, or where you went, and I…”

“Shhh. Yeah, it was pretty bad,” Kerry answered softly. “They knocked me out and took me to Bryan’s.”

Angela released her and stared at her sister in shock. “Oh my god.” Her eyes finally drifted to the right as she realized Kerry wasn’t alone, and she gasped a little at the pale blue orbs catching the low light in the room. “Oh, I…” She looked closer. “You must be… Dar?”

The taller woman smiled, a glint of white in the gloom. “That’s right.”

She held out a hand courteously. “Nice to meet you, Angela. Wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Oh…uh, yeah.” Kerry’s sister took her hand gingerly and shook it. “I’ve heard a lot about you.” She smiled tentatively, then turned back to her sister.

“So, what happened?”

Kerry sighed. “Well…Dar showed up and sprung me.”

“You were doing pretty damn good at that yourself when I got there,”

Dar interrupted.

Green eyes gave her a mild, affectionate look. “Then we came back here, Tropical Storm 439

and I…sort of had it out with Dad, and now…we’re leaving.” She paused, gazing at her sister. “For good, it looks like.”

“Oh.” Angela took her hands and squeezed them. “Well, I might be right behind you, and I’ll keep in touch, okay?”

Kerry smiled and hugged her. “Please. I’ll miss you. Will you let Michael know what’s going on?”

Angela nodded as they parted. “I’ll call him tomorrow. I’m sort of glad he got stuck at school and wasn’t here—you know he would have gone ballistic.”

Kerry sighed. “I know. Well, we’ve got to get going. I’ll call you when I get back to Miami.”

“During the day,” Angela told her softly. “Richard’s given me a lecture about getting involved.” She made a face. “We had quite a discussion about that.”

“All right.” The blonde shouldered her laptop. “C’mon, Dar, before Jack comes busting in here.” She gave her sister one last hug, then moved towards the door, trailing her tall, dark shadow behind her. They walked down the stairs and out the front door, passing through the pool of light and onto the path, towards where an anxious-looking Jack was half in and half out of the car, one foot on the ground. He got back in as they arrived, and Dar opened the door, allowing Kerry to slide inside. She started to close the door when the blonde woman held a hand up, then reached out and tugged her coat, sliding over further to make room.

Dar tossed the bag in the back seat and closed the door, then got in next to her lover and exhaled. “Let’s get out of here.”

Jack needed no further instruction. He started the car and backed out, then turned around and headed down the road. “Nasty?” he asked, after a few silent moments.

Dar sucked on a sore knuckle and glanced at him. “Disgusting.” She snuck a peek at the very quiet Kerry, then put a hand on her shoulder. “How are you doing?”

Kerry tore her eyes from the dark landscape and slowly turned her head, peering up at Dar’s half shadowed face. “Really sucky,” she answered in a hoarse voice. “Dar, why can’t I just hate them? It would be so much simpler.”

The dark-haired woman circled her shoulders with a powerful arm and pulled her closer. “Sorry, I wish I had an answer for you.” She felt Kerry settle against her, an arm wrapping around her stomach as her lover buried her face into her shoulder. “I wish I could change their minds.” She felt the catch in Kerry’s breathing and pulled her closer, rubbing her back soothingly. Jack looked over and caught her eye, his own full of quiet sympathy.

Dar sighed. “Find a main road, stop at the first place that looks like it doesn’t have roaches in the sinks.” She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed a number. “Morning,” she said softly. “This is Dar Roberts, employee number 4432234.” She paused. “I need two tickets from Grand Rapids to Miami, first flight out, airline not important.” She listened for a long few moments. “That’s fine. Use my credit card on record, though, this is personal.”

Kerry stirred at that, but Dar just patted her back and kept up her soothing motion. “Okay, that’s great … Excuse me? Oh.” Dar smiled a little.

440 Melissa Good

“Yeah, that’s true, go ahead and apply them. It’s been a real long night and I think I can use a little extra space.” She listened again. “Thanks, I’ll pick them up at the airport, I appreciate it.” She hung up and let her head rest against the back of the seat. “Change in plans, keep going and head for the airport. The first flight out is at eleven. We might as well get a few hours sleep before we all get out of here.” She glanced at Jack. “Can you take off from there without causing havoc?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I won’t be able to do the kind of speed I did on the way in here, but…” He yawned. “A few hours’ sack time sounds like a great idea. I can call Dad, and I’ll buy you guys breakfast before your flight, how’s that?”

Dar felt Kerry slump more heavily against her, and she realized the exhaustion was overtaking her friend. “Sounds great,” Dar admitted. “Oh, damn, I want a bed. I feel like I was run over by a truck.” She sighed.

Kerry lifted her head and peered up at her. “Well, he did hit you a few times, everything okay in there?” She patted Dar’s chest.

“Hit you?” Jack’s head snapped up and around. “Who? What?”

Kerry put her head back down. “My father’s bodyguard. He tried to get the drop on Quick Draw McGraw here; who proceeded to kick his butt all over the room.”

Jack’s face split into a grin. “Quick Draw, huh?” He laughed softly.

Dar groaned. “Just drive,” she growled.

The hotel at the airport was small, and the desk clerk was rubbing his eyes when he finally came out and registered them. “One room?” he asked in a mumble.

“Two,” Jack answered, giving Dar a sideways look. “Adjoining.”

She didn’t protest. They got their keys and trudged upstairs, to rooms smelling of must and damp brick. Dar automatically flipped on the air conditioner, then she went for the bed—the long days catching up with her.

She let herself down on her back and felt her muscles go limp in reaction.

“Damn.” She hadn’t really been counting on the fight with Kyle. His sudden appearance had shocked her senses, and triggered a surge of adrenaline that had carried her through the battle, but now… “I’m getting too old for this stuff,” she muttered.

Jack had disappeared into his room, and Kerry finished up the soda she’d gotten from the vending machine, then shut the light off. She crawled into bed next to Dar and settled on her side. Her eyes searched the sharp profile so close to her. “I don’t think I’ve thanked you yet.” Dar rolled her head to one side and peered wearily at her. “It’s an odd feeling, you know,” Kerry let her chin rest on her forearm, “having your own knight in shining armor and all.”

A soft snort. “I am not any such thing,” Dar objected. “And we both know that.”

Kerry shook her head. “You may know that, but I don’t,” she replied in quiet reflection. “Oh, maybe I could write off the arriving by supersonic jet part. Hey, it was opportunistic, right?”

Dar rolled over and faced her, only inches separating them. “Right.”

“Mmm. But not the standing up to my father, and not the ass kicking you gave Kyle. I heard what you said to him, by the way,” Kerry continued. “So, thank you, Dar. I’ve lived my life under the belief that people act for Tropical Storm 441

themselves and their own interests, now I know that’s not the case.”

A dark brow edged up. “Who said it wasn’t in my own interests?” she inquired softly. “It was very much in my best interests to make damn sure you were safe and whole.” She reached over and brushed her knuckles against Kerry’s cheek. “I very selfishly wanted you back.” Kerry blushed a little and ducked her head. “I mean it. That was just pure self-interest, not a noble thing about it.” Dar shook her head firmly. “Besides, you have any idea how long it would take me to find another assistant half as good as you?”

“Dar, I was trying to be serious,” the blonde woman protested gently.

Soft fingertips caressed her jaw. “Whatever the effort, it was worth it, Kerry. Believe me,” Dar answered, just as seriously.

The blonde cocked her head in question. “I know you said you knew where I was because they submitted the charges to my benefits card, but how did you find out, Dar?”

“Mmm.” Dar rolled over onto her back and stretched, feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over her. “I had a…I don’t know, a nightmare, I guess. I woke up in a sweat, that’s for sure, at about twelve thirty.” She let her eyes close, remembering.

“Twelve thirty?” Kerry murmured. “That’s about when…yeah, that’s when they knocked me out. I remember looking at my watch right before I went into the study.”

“Well, I knew I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I dialed up the office. And when I connected, a bot I had running popped up and displayed the fact that you’re card had been used, and I…”

“Whoa. You had a bot checking for that?” Kerry asked, puzzled. “Did you suspect something was going to happen?”

“Uh.” Dar peeked at her from the corner of one eye. “Not exactly.”

Kerry crawled closer and put her chin on Dar’s shoulder. “Not exactly?”

“No, well, since you had that close encounter with the milk truck, I, um…” Dar was embarrassed, and she felt her skin heat with a blush. “I set it up just in case anything… Well, I mean, it’s not like you have a contact card on you. I mean, whatever… If something happened to you, I’d, um…”

“Dar, that’s very sweet.” Kerry gazed at her.

“Practical,” the executive argued. “A simple need for information.”

They looked at each other, and Kerry gently kissed the shoulder she was leaning on. “Thank you for caring, Dar,” she said very softly. “You don’t know how much that means to me right now.”

The taller woman gently pulled her closer and slid both arms around her.

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out with your folks, Kerry.” She tucked the blonde head down against her and kissed it.

Kerry allowed herself to sink into the comforting warmth at last, breathing in Dar’s distinctive scent, and settling her head down on her lover’s broad shoulder. “Me too.” She sighed. “I guess I have no family now,” she added sadly.

“Sure you do,” Dar murmured, her eyes closed.

Kerry tilted her head and regarded her in silence, then she smiled to herself and put her head back down, at last allowing sleep to wash over her.